Reparations
by Sheankelor
Summary: Reparations- compensation (given or received) for an insult or injury. Severus had to make amends for the deeds that he had done. But what could he offer as compensation? A heart to heart with Tobias gives him a clue and possible more. Takes place before the end of the first war.


_AN: This story is not beta-ed. If you see a mistake that bothers you greatly, or you just wish me to know about it, please PM me so that I can repair it. Thank you._

_This plot bunny just crept up and told me that Tobias most likely served in WWII. From that came the idea that he might have seen magic in an unpleasant light, and that was the reason he was against it. This is the whole reason for this story.  
_

_Ree_

_Reparations _

Severus flung another shot of cheap whiskey to the back of his mouth and swallowed it down. He didn't mind that it had missed the taste buds, he doubted that he could taste it anyway. All he was looking for was to forget all that he had done, seen, and heard. To be able to look in the mirror once again without the face looking back at him accusing him of the mistake that haunted him.

Another shot followed the last one. _"Why did Lily have to go have a baby at that time of year? Why did she have to be the one that the Dark Lord decided to hunt?' _

His arm was caught as he slammed the glass towards to table top. The glass was pried out of his fingers and the bottle whisked away before he had time to react. He glared at the other man when turned around after storing the alcohol away. "I was drinking that."

Tobias folder his arms across his chest and glared back at his son. "And you already had too much."

Severus snorted. "You're one to talk."

Smirking, Tobias nodded. "I am, since I have traveled that road. I'm just shortening your journey. It's a father's privilege, and since it is my house, I am taking full advantage of it. Now, what have you done that you want to drown?"

Severus glared at his father before turning a shoulder to him, his fingers clamped over his Mark. "Horrible things. Stupid things." His shoulders sagged. "I've put Lily in danger."

Tobias made sure that his face held no surprise, and that his voice was equally lacking. "Then put it to rights."

"As if I can!" Severus slammed a fist into the table and glared up at his father.

Tobias leaned forward slightly. "I thought the same thing, once. You are a Snape. We make mistakes. Not often, but when we do they are always large. Mine was distrusting your Mother's and your magic. Just because I saw how it was used in the war... I took my fear of that time and placed it on both of you."

It had been a ugly time of his life. Held prisoner in Germany during the War he had seen unexplainable ways of torture. Men forced to do things against their own will. When he learned that magic was real, the pieces had fallen into place. Magic was what had been used to torture his fellow prisoners. He had been next to visit that room. Luckily he had escaped the day before.

It was unfortunate that the time he learned magic was real was the same instant that he learned that both Eileen and Severus were magical. His fear of magic was placed squarely on their shoulders, and he took to the bottle because he knew it wasn't right.

Catching Severus' eyes, he continued. "Snapes also make amends and repair our mistakes the best way we can. Go find Lily and tell her."

"I can't. She hasn't talked to me for years." Severus's fingers clenched into fists.

"Track her down and do what you have to do. Sure, it might be walking into hell, but but just keep going and get this done. Then walk out the other side knowing that you did what had to be done."

Severus snorted. "I'll be arrested." He yanked up his sleeve and showed the Dark Mark to Tobias. "This mark shows I made a very stupid, irreparable mistake. I joined a man called Voldemort. He is a monster." The last part was spit out in a deadly whisper.

Tobias stared at the skull and snake that was marring the lower part of his son's arm. "You are not stupid. There has to be a way that you can make amends for this mistake. You are a marked follower of this monster. Is there a way out?"

"In a pine box," Severus stared at the table top, unable to face the revulsion in his father's face. Tobias had fought to keep a monster from taking over England and the entire United Kingdom, and now his son was the servant of one.

Tobias blanched. "That is what I thought. Could you offer to spy on him? You haven't damaged your standing in the group have you?"

"Spy?"

"Spy. It will give you an out when this war you are fighting is done. And a way to make amends. You might be able to save Lily if you do. But it is a hard road." Tobias remembered the spies he had worked with. They had helped him to escape and to get out of Germany. To make it home.

"There is only one person who has a chance to take me serious and he might just turn me over or kill me." Severus felt a smidgen of hope start to build.

"Who?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

"I thought he was the Headmaster of that school you attended?" Tobias didn't bother to mask his surprise.

Severus smirked. "He was, but he had more power than the Ministry. He is the only person that the Dark Lord fears, and he is the leader of a group of fighters."

Tobias nodded. "Then go to him, and offer to spy for him. But make sure to show your remorse. He strikes me as a person who needs to see it to forgive. If there is an inkling that it is not going to work, get back here as quick as your magic will let you."

With a quick shake of his head, Severus made sure his answer was emphatic without being disrespectful. "I will not bring that hunt here. They are attacking anyone that has anything to do with Death Eaters. They will want to take you and Mum into custody."

"Help pack up the house before you go. Everything. I'll contact a friend of mine in France. He'll make us up new identifications, and when you get here, we'll disappear. If they will not accept you attempting to make up for your mistake, then we are not going to let them have you. There are too many places in this world where we can hide and work. If you need to be in the magical world, then you can easily move into another country's community as a refugee from the war here. And if Dumbledore does accept you, then you will always have this new persona ready to go if you need to escape. I'll tell your Mum when she gets home." He watched as a bit of relief slipped past Severus mask. "Now, go get packing. I've a phone call to make."

セブルススネイプ

Severus stared at the long strip of beach listening to the waves crash into the sand. The door opened and his Mum came through. "I am feeling better."

Eileen smiled lightly. Severus had appeared at their retirement home in horrible shape. It had taken all her skills and some skills she didn't even know Tobias had to save his life. "Much better is a good thing, but it doesn't mean you are well enough to move. That snake bite took its toll on you. One more week." She placed a set of books on the bedside table. "A few more books to study."

Holding back a sigh, Severus picked up the top book. He wanted to get his mastery again, and that meant he had to take the mastery test. _'And I don't want to stand out too much, so I have to refresh my memory on what I should know and shouldn't know.'_

Eileen continued to smile as she replaced the empty potions bottles with new ones. Tobias would be up later to continue to fill Severus in about the changes that were occurring in the UK. The monster that had haunted their son was dead, and his amends were completely made.


End file.
